Phillip Hughes Funeral: Macksville Bids Farewell to its Favourite Son
The funeral for cricketer Phillip Hughes turned into a celebration of his life on Wednesday despite the grief and sorrow still evident from his death.
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The outpouring of emotions over the tragic death of Phillip Hughes continues and the Sydney Cricket Ground, where the youngster was fatally struck on his head, paid its tribute by putting out 63 bats inside the stadium as a mark of remembrance to his final score.
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In steaming temperatures of nearly 30 Celsius (85F) early arrivals to the service, including Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, fanned themselves with papers. Most of those who wore sports jackets and blazers had taken them off, some with sleeves of their white shirts rolled up to their elbows.
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Australia captain Michael Clarke and the rest of the Test squad were joined by former and current players from around the world, and friends and relatives from Hughes' hometown of 2,500 people on the northern coast of New South Wales state, 575 kilometers (350 miles north of Sydney).
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The funeral was broadcast live around Australia on commercial television stations and on video screens at the Adelaide Oval, where the rescheduled first test with India will start next Tuesday, and the SCG, where a row of 63 bats were propped up against pickets, each with an inscription of a special moment of Hughes' career.
.jpg "The outpouring of emotions over the tragic death of Phillip Hughes continues and the Sydney Cricket Ground, where the youngster was fatally struck on his head, paid its tribute by putting out 63 bats inside the stadium as a mark of remembrance to his final score.")
.jpg "The funeral was broadcast live around Australia on commercial television stations and on video screens at the Adelaide Oval, where the rescheduled first test with India will start next Tuesday, and the SCG, where a row of 63 bats were propped up against pickets, each with an inscription of a special moment of Hughes' career.")
.jpg "Michael Clarke said the tributes offered from sports stars and fans across the globe had sustained him, from a little girl holding a candle in tribute, to masters of the game such as Sachin Tendulkar expressing sorrow.")
.jpg "Virginia Hughes, center, mother of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes, walks behind her son's coffin during his funeral in Macksville.")
